Ryan Burnett to face Lee Haskins for IBF bantamweight title
Thursday 27 April 2017 13:18, UK
Ryan Burnett will challenge Lee Haskins for the IBF bantamweight title in Belfast on June 10, live on Sky Sports.
The unbeaten 24-year-old has received home advantage for his first world title fight against Haskins, which comes in his 17th professional bout.
Haskins defended the belt with a hard-fought points win over Stuey Hall last September, but was forced to pull out of a scheduled defence against Shohei Omori in December due to a leg injury.
Burnett has made impressive progress in the professional ranks, claiming 16 wins, including nine knockouts, on the way to a world title fight.
He extended his unbeaten record with a dominant points win over Joseafat Reyes in February.
"I always dreamed of headlining in Belfast and now I have the opportunity to do it for a World Title - I'm so excited," said Burnett.
"Home advantage is going to be massive. I've been in the opposite corner when I fought Ryan Farrag in Liverpool and experienced that side of it. I got a little taste of it when I was on the undercard when Carl Frampton boxed Scott Quigg, when I came out everyone went crazy.
"That felt like a home show! It gives you that extra spring in your step, I can only imagine what it's going to be like in front of my home fans in Belfast. I can't wait.
"Lee Haskins has been about, he's been in the game a long time so he's probably been in this situation before. But the Belfast crowd are proper, they are very passionate for their fighter and will be making plenty of noise on the night for me.
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